


Seventh-Inning Stretch

by stenbrouris



Category: IT (2017), IT - Stephen King
Genre: M/M, baseball stan au, ben is confused about his sexuality, bens pining over bev (and mike in secret), fuck that guy, mikes pining over ben, modern day AU, pennywise doesnt exist, some stanlon briefly, stan has a younger brother, theres a minor character death hehe
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-28
Updated: 2018-03-03
Packaged: 2019-03-25 07:45:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13829652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stenbrouris/pseuds/stenbrouris
Summary: b: you seem more like a 'send a message via dove' kinda guy to me  (seen 7:28)s: Already got me figured out, huh?  (seen 7:30)bill looked over from his phone to the fresh, crisply drawn portrait of the curly headed boy.b: i guess we could find out sometime   (seen 7:35)s: I'm not that easy, Denbrough.





	1. the beginning

**Author's Note:**

> this is my first work ahhh

"bill! you're gonna be late!"

 

sharon benbrough's voice called up the stairs as bill frantically pulled things from out under his bed. 

 

"j-just a m-m-minute, mom!"

 

the red-headed boy groaned, frustrated, and got up out of the floor. where in the hell was his cap? 

he turned back to his closet, which was open. items of clothing and bags were spilling out into his room, and he returned to the piles to search again. it had to be here somewhere.

 

"bill!"

 

bill rolled his eyes and threw his head back, his hands hitting his thighs. 

 

"i'm t-trying, m-mom!"

 

he shook his head and rubbed his eyes, running a hand through his hair. he was going to be late because of a hat. a hat, for christ's sake. how had he even managed to lose it? bill looked towards the door as he heard a giggle though, and he automatically scowled.

 

georgie was standing at the door, bill's baseball cap in his hand. 

 

there was a huge grin on the younger boy's face as he twirled the hat around his finger. 

 

"y-you little sh-shit!"

 

george stuck his tongue out and took off down the hallway, cap in his hand. bill muttered a curse under his breath, grabbing his bat off of his bed and running after his little brother. 

 

bill didn't stop to slow down before bounding down the stairs in his cleats. there was an awful chorus of spikes scratching wood and hard contact as he came down. bill's mother nearly fainted when she saw it.

 

"bill denbrough! get off of those stairs! careful- george, stop running right now!"

 

the boys' mother caught georgie by the back of his shirt and hit bill lightly on the shoulder. 

 

"you know better than to do that," she said, waving her hand at the stairs. "and you, george, know we do not run in the house."

 

georgie whined and pointed his residual limb towards bill. he had been born without half of his right arm, and the doctors had suggested a prosthetic one. georgie had refused, claiming that his 'little arm' made him cool. 

 

"bill was chasing me! and he called me a little shit!"

 

"george, don't say that word!"

 

"bill said it!"

 

"bill, you don't say it either!"

 

"he h-had my huh-at!"

 

mrs. denbrough used her free hand to rub her temples and let out a sigh, letting go of georgie's shirt. she motioned for the little boy to give the taller one the cap back, and he put his head down and held his arm out. 

 

"what do you say?"

 

"sorry bill."

 

bill snatched his hat from georgie and placed it securely on top of his head. he stuck his tongue out at george who returned the favor.

 

"bill?"

 

the red headed boy looked down to his mother and furrowed his eyebrows. she gave him a look and he rolled his eyes, which earned him a slap on the arm. 

 

"ow! g-geez."

 

she looked over to georgie and bill let out a breath, rubbing his bicep.

 

"s-sorry g-g-guhorge."

 

the younger denbrough shrugged and inched away from his mother before taking off up the stairs.

 

"george denbrough!"

 

bill stifled a laugh and looked towards the door as he heard a car honk outside. 

richie had agreed to pick him up, as he still hadn't found the right part to fix his truck. he'd been looking in the old car yard, but to no avail. he'd have to bring mike sometime, he'd find it easy quick.

 

richie had his window rolled down, arm layed lazily out the side, a cigarette laced between his long fingers. 

 

"big bill!"

 

richie grinned and whistled at bill as he approached the car, flicking ashes onto the road. eddie was red-faced, sitting in the passenger seat. 

 

"bev and i had practice earlier, you'll have to hop up front with me and eds!"

 

bill laughed as eddie hit richie's arm, muttering a 'don't call me eds' under his breath. 

 

richie and bev had started their band about a year earlier, after countless times playing around the losers their entire childhood. richie on guitar, which he was almost, it seemed, made to do. bev had a sort of raspy, raw voice that went with rich's nearly blown out speaker well, and so their band deadlights was 

born.

 

bill opened the passenger side door and waited for eddie to scoot over before he got in. 

 

eddie's face was red, arms crossed, and he was doing his best not to touch richie's side at all. bill furrowed his eyebrows and closed the door, the window making a rattling noise which concerned him. richie threw the butt of his cigarette into the street and reached over between eddie's knees to shift gears. the smaller boy turned his head and richie rolled his eyes, mumbling something that bill couldn't make out. 

 

"w-what's up with y-you guh-guys?"

 

eddie didn't answer, just continued to watch out the window and roll his eyes occasionally. richie, not to bill's surprise, did answer though. he never shut his mouth, but that's what made him their trashmouth. 

 

"spaghetti here is pissed at me."

 

eddie scoffed and clenched his jaw, and bill knew he was restraining from biting at richie. 

bill looked from eddie to rich, noticing how different they looked when they were angry. it was always obvious because of eds. he'd be red in the face, making his freckles stand out against his skin. he'd keep his arms crossed tight against his small frame, showing he didn't want to be touched. eddie wouldn't talk, either. 

 

richie, on the other hand, never knew when to shut his mouth. he didn't act very different when he was mad, but you could tell. his jokes and laughs were never genuine, and his face seemed more stern. now, in his red pontiac fiero, where the paint was chipping off the back, his knuckles were white against the steering wheel. 

 

"you gonna tell denbrough why you're pissed at me, eds?"

 

eddie snapped his head around, his arms coming loose so he could point a finger at richie. 

bill didn't think it was possible, but somehow the brown headed boy's face had gotten even redder. he'd nearly hit the gear shift when he spun around, and richie had partially slammed on the brakes in case he did. bill didn't think he'd ever had a worse case of seatbelt whiplash. 

 

"jesus kaspbrak!"

 

"why don't you tell bill why i'm pissed?" he hissed at richie, his stare cold.

 

richie shook his head and rolled his eyes, shoving eddie's hand not-so-lightly out of his face. he propped his knees up on both sides of the steering wheel and grabbed his cigarettes, lighting one up. eddie watched this and undid his seatbelt, turning around in the seat he was sitting on (even though it wasn't even a real seat). 

 

"eds, what the hell are you doing?"

 

bill looked over and raised his eyebrows when all that he saw of eddie was his waist down. his legs were coming up off the seat and were knocking into richie dangerously. 

 

"eds!"

 

richie looked over and did a double take, grabbing over the seat at the smaller boy. 

 

eddie had gotten his guitar and had it halfway out the back window, but he was struggling to push it all the way out. richie stuck his cigarette in between his lips and grabbed the neck of his guitar, pulling it back in. he did the same with eddie, only he shoved him back into his seat like he was a child. 

 

"jesus fuck kaspbrak!"

 

eddie looked down at the open, half-empty coke can in front of him and lifted it up. 

 

"eddie, h-hey, don't- !"

 

before bill could grab the can from eddie's hands, he'd already dumped the rest of the hot sticky liquid all over richie's lap. 

 

"goddamn it eddie!!"

 

"why don't you shut the fuck up, trashmouth!"

 

bill lowered himself down in his seat and watched out his window, trying to put the muffled sound of richie and eddie's yelling completely out of his head for the rest of the ride.


	2. strike three, you're out of my league

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> woo,, chapter two already
> 
> here's the link to a little aesthetic / picture art collection i made based off this fic !!
> 
> https://weheartit.com/eatfresh/collections/141042564-fic-seventh-inning-stretch

bill didn't ever think the car ride was going to end. 

he'd only been in the car with richie and eddie for thirty minutes, but it felt like hours. they'd stopped at the first gas station they had came to, and richie got out to go inside. he'd buy more cigarettes probably, get more gas, but both knew he was going inside to clean the crotch of his jeans up as best as possible. 

 

eddie watched him walk inside and then scooted over into rich's seat. 

his hair was a mess and he still looked irritated, but the boy's face had lost it's angry red glow. he stuck the upper part of his body out of the car window and tossed the empty coke can into the trash. 

 

"s-so why are you p-puh-pissed at him?"

 

the brown headed boy turned his head as he got back in the car, and his eyes went to meet bill's. 

 

"he blew me off for his stupid band practice again."

 

bill's eyes widened and he furrowed his eyebrows. 

eddie rolled his eyes and slinked down in his seat, crossing his arms. 

 

"okay, he blew me off and i went to that stupid jerk dagly or whatever-his-name is' house. and of course, there they all were, playing their ugly music really loud and dancing around in dagly- derick, damien- fuck if i knows' basement- and richie's all over him, playing his guitar and they're basically-"

 

eddie groaned and threw his hands up, looking to bill.

 

"they're basically eye-fucking each other, bill. and of course, i get all mad because he's literally rubbing all over this dude and i yelled at him not to come over later, that i didn't want to see him and i left and of course-"

 

"he c-came over luh-later?"

 

eddie nodded, his cheeks flushed.

 

"of course he did! and he's all mad at me because 'there's no reason for me to be mad' and so we yelled and argued and then my ma came upstairs and she made rich leave- and then he came by later after you called and needed a ride i guess- and he kept fucking honking his horn until i had to go outside so ma wouldn't call the cops. and he said 'bill needs a ride, c'mon.' and i didn't want to go of course, because that means i'd have to be stuck with his ass, but i did anyways because-"

 

"b-beca-cuh-se you didn't want m-me to feel b-bad."

 

eddie nodded and richie was back at the car's side, pumping the car full of gas. bill sighed and nudged the smaller boy's knee with his own. 

 

"th-thanks, e-eh-eddie."

 

eddie smiled and nudged bill's knee back, and richie climbed into the car.

he tossed the red headed boy a small pack of sunflower seeds while starting the car, and eddie returned to being silent. bill thanked richie and fiddled with the top of the bag, tracing his fingers over the brand name. 

 

richie lit up another cigarette and draped his arm out of the window.

 

they stayed silent the rest of the ride.

 

richie drove faster than the speed limit, so they got to the ballpark quicker than usual. 

 

some of bill's team was already there, and most of the rival team was already assembled and pitching back and forth to each other on the ballfield. eddie was still silent, his lips drawn into a thin line. 

 

"do you want anything from the concession, puffer boy?"

 

eddie shook his head no, but he spun around on his heel just as richie had began to walk away.

 

"rich? i changed my mind!"

 

the curly headed boy turned and looked to him, eyebrows furrowed. he had his hands in his pockets, a bit flushed across the bridge of his nose.

 

"what d'ya want then?"

 

"another coke! i don't think the last one did a good enough job."

 

bill could see richie's jaw tense from where he was standing before he turned and walked off. eddie smiled and bumped his shoulder into bill's side. 

bill shook his head and cracked a grin, even though he hated to see them argue.

 

"good luck, bill."

 

"if we w-win this g-game, will you ap-apol- luh- apoluh-"

 

bill cursed himself and pretended not to hear the players from the other team behind him snickering. eddie looked by bill's arm, the heat rising back into his cheeks. 

bill looked down at eddie and shook his head, 

 

"it's o-okay, eds. it doesn't b-buh-ah-bother me anym-m-more."

 

eddie watched as the group of snickering players walked off and he scoffed.

 

"you guys are gonna smoke their asses anyways."

 

bill smiled and gave the smaller boy a pat on the shoulder before going on the field to pitch with the rest of his team.

 

it was the last inning, and both teams were tied. 

 

both teams were tied, the rival team had the bat, and a new number was stepping up to bat. bill had struck out both of the last hitters, and this last would end the game. then the derry wolves would go home with the win and they'd have won their season.

 

bill watched the newest batter, #7, step up to the bat. he lowered his body, putting most of his weight onto his right leg and bending it slightly. he twisted his left foot around in the dirt for a second, holding his bat over the base and kissing the space between his thumb and the rest of his fingers.

 

'what a prick,'

 

bill scoffed, rolling the ball around in his glove as he stepped up to the pitcher's mound. he scuffed his cleat against the chalk line and then took a deep breath. he raised his right leg, clutching the baseball tight with his right hand. he came forward, releasing the ball at the perfect height, feeling the leather roll off his fingers. his leg came down and hit the ground. #7 didn't swing.

 

"strike one!"

 

bill let out a deep breath, his heart beating against his chest. strike 1. two more to go. he could do this. he could take them home.

 

the hind catcher threw the ball back to bill and he caught it in his glove, feeling a thrill at the contact. the boy at the plate shifted his weight for a slight moment while bill readied himself. when bill popped his fingers, the batter lowered his weight and was back.

the red headed boy ran a finger across the front of his cap and took a breath, going through the motions again. he felt the ball roll off his fingers and his cleat connected with the ground once more. #7 still didn't swing.

 

"strike two!"

 

bill grinned and caught the ball in his glove for the last time.

 

'this is gonna be easy.'

 

he stepped back up to the chalk line, tossing the ball into the air and then catching it in his glove. the batter lowered himself for the final time, kissing the space on his hand once more. bill watched as the boys eyes locked with the ball, and then it left his hand.

 

only this time, #7 swung.

 

the red headed boy watched as the bat connected with the ball, a crack sounding over the field. the boy dropped his bat and took off, red dirt coming up off the ground as he ran to first base. bill turned around as the ball soared over his head, his jaw clenched. everyone in the outfield was running towards the same spot, all towards the far fence. 

#7 was at second base now, his team screaming and yelling incoherent words through the dugout fencing. bill turned back towards the outfield, his glove ready to catch the ball when he saw none of his teammates had it. there was nothing in the air coming towards him either. 

 

"home run!"

 

bill's heart dropped and he turned around, watching as the boy touched home. his team all rushed out of the dugout, yelling cheers and chants at him.

 

"fucking ace, stan!"

 

"another home run from uris!"

 

"our lucky number seven, stanley!!"

 

one of the boy's teammates took off his helmet and kissed his head, yelling. the rest of the boys in jerseys did the same, all kissing stan's curly head of hair. he was smiling and looking down, much to bill's resentment. 

 

"and the win goes to the arlington prairie dogs!!"

 

bill watched as the team returned to the dugout, but he continued to watch the curly headed boy with the milky skin in awe. 

 

what a boy...


End file.
